2009-2010 Bowl Projections
BCS Picks - May
- 2009-2010 Way-Too-Early
Non-BCS Bowl Projections
 Don't
get too mad/excited quite yet. The idea is to look into the crystal
ball into the schedules and the talent on the top teams to figure
out what the big money matchups might be. Remember, no one, nowhere
would've ever predicted in a million years that Kansas and Illinois
would make the BCS in 2007 (for the 2008 BCS games). We told you
Hawaii was going to be in, but that was still a bit of a wacky call.
Obviously
the projections and predictions will change weekly during the season.
Rose Bowl presented by Citi
Jan. 1. Pasadena, Calif. ABC
*BCS vs.
BCS (Big Ten Champion vs. Pac 10 Champion, if available)
Way Too Early Projection: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Top 5 Others Considered: 1) USC, 2) Penn State, 3)
Michigan State, 4) Oregon, 5) Texas
How many times has Ohio State been to the Rose Bowl under Jim
Tressel? Zero. The Buckeyes haven't been in Pasadena since the
thrilling 1997 Rose Bowl win over Arizona State, and they haven't
played Oklahoma since a 24-14 win in Norman in 1983. The Sooners
beat Washington State 34-14 in the 2003 Rose Bowl and have lost five
BCS games (and five of six bowl games) ever since. The Rose Bowl
will likely get its second choice of at-large teams, and while it'll
be pressured to take Boise State, it'll most likely take the Big
12's second best team.
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Jan. 1 New Orleans, La. FOX
*BCS vs. BCS (SEC Champion, if
available)
Way Too Early Projection: Ole Miss vs.
West Virginia
Top 5 Others Considered:
1) LSU, 2) Georgia, 3) Florida, 4) Alabama, 5) Boise State
Assuming the SEC champion is No. 1 and off to the national
championship, the Sugar Bowl will get the first choice of teams and
it'll most certainly take the second best SEC team. Ole Miss,
Alabama, LSU, Georgia or even Florida; throw a dart and you might
have the right SEC representative. Boise State might be the call if
the Fiesta doesn't have an interest, but geographically is makes
more sense for the Broncos to go to Glendale and the Big East
champion, possibly West Virginia, to go to New Orleans. The
Mountaineers stunned Georgia the last time they were in the Sugar,
played in Atlanta in 2006.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Jan. 4 / 8:00 ET Phoenix, Ariz. FOX
*BCS vs. BCS (Big 12
Champion, if available)
Way Too Early Projection:
Texas vs. Boise State
Top 5 Others Considered:
1) Oklahoma, 2) Oklahoma State, 3) Penn State, 4) Ohio State, 5)
Nebraska
With all due respect to Oklahoma State and Nebraska, the October
17th Texas vs. Oklahoma showdown will likely determine the Big 12's
automatic Fiesta Bowl bid. The Fiesta would LOVE to get the second
Big Ten team in Glendale, and will consider West Virginia, but it
would likely go after Boise State, because it makes a bit more
geographic sense. The Orange picks ahead of the Fiesta in the
at-large pecking order and isn't going to want the Broncos.
FedEx Orange Bowl
Jan. 5 Miami Gardens, Fla.
FOX
*BCS vs. BCS (ACC Champion, if available)
Way Too
Early Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Penn
State
Top 5 Others Considered: 1) North Carolina, 2) Georgia Tech,
3) Pitt, 4) Clemson, 5) Miami
The Big Ten will
likely get two teams into the BCS, and assuming the Sugar Bowl gets
the first pick of automatic teams and will take an SEC team, and if
USC gets into the national title and the Rose Bowl gets the first or
second pick, that'll mean the No. 2 Big Ten team will either go to
the Fiesta or the Orange. The Orange might give thought to West
Virginia and its rabid fan base, but the game would get more overall
attention by taking Penn State or Ohio State. Virginia Tech has one
of the easiest/most favorable schedules of all the ACC teams that'll
be in the hunt for Miami. Even so, if you want to argue that North
Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami, Clemson, Florida State, or some other
ACC team might be here, you have a solid chance of being right.
BCS National Championship
Jan. 7. Pasadena, CA FOX
*BCS #1 vs. BCS #2
Way Too Early Projection: USC vs. Florida
Top 5 Others Considered: 1) Texas, 2) Oklahoma, 3) Ohio
State, 4) West Virginia, 5) LSU
After winning three straight
national championships, the SEC champion will likely be
automatically in if all things are equal. The Texas vs. Oklahoma
winner will likely have an inside track, but that team will have a
landmine or two to deal with and probably won't go unbeaten. If USC
beats Ohio State in Columbus, and doesn't brain-cramp in Pac 10
play, it'll play an SEC team in a bowl game for the first time since
losing to Auburn 16-7 in the 1987 Citrus Bowl. The Trojans will
likely drop one game with a brutal road schedule, but it still might
not be enough to keep them out of the title shot.
-
2009-2010 Way-Too-Early
non-BCS Bowl Projections
|